Tales and legends of smoky drams, mystical peats and seducing waters. I blog in English and Finnish from now on.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Bunnahabhain Darach-Urs revisions 6,8,9 and 10 compared

Darach-Ur.The New Oak in Gaelic. Bottled at 46.3% and the distillery makes revisions once or twice a year – if not more. So far it seems that they are very busy with this one and I got, thanks to Viskisieppo, samples of batch 9 and 10. Since I already got the last drops of 6 and almost a bottle full of 8 I thought it might be a good to throw in some comparison. And unlike to myself, put in four glasses that have these different versions of the New Oak. I tried them with water between, and later without to find out what are the differences.
Of course, to avoid myself the utter and outmost confusion, I used differently branded Glencairns here. On the left is the 6 and on the right 10. You may guess the order of 6 and 8 there.
First, the color. There is of course the obvious: more light comes from the right. But it happens, that the batch 6 has darker hue than batched 9 and 10. Between 6 and 8 it is not that obvious, but more right you look the more obvious it is. Even changing their positions and figuring out the colors. The Six the like it’s been ex-sherry barreled.

The noses

“the model Six” : Vanilla, oakenshield, sweetness of Mediterranean gigolo, it is like the man has visited a sherry cask before making his move. Sweet as a prom queen.
“The lucky Eight”: Introvert. Closed personality who hates to be sweet. Less vanilla and oak in the scent. There is, however, a hint of more peppery character suggesting.. you will get much more than you asked for.
“The infamous Nine”: More elegant than the previous couple. Smells like it has visited a butter bar and had a lots of salted peanuts. Vanilla and oak happened yesterday, there isn’t much tell left.
“The Perfect Ten”: Just a hint of vanilla and oak, but it gets soon replaced by a cold weather, bitter mood and a quick character that spells spices if you cross any words with it. A diva.

Let’s take a sip and see what happens

6: A body that has seen the gym many times. Full. Sweet with vanilla, oak and spices. Lots of spices. The bottle has actually been open for almost two years (stopper of course in it’s rightful place) and there are only a bit of this dram left. That might have changed how it tastes. It stings, but it is not bitter. Works very well for me!
8: There is a much more sweetness here, than with 6. It is more broad and has a lots more flowers and herbs. This reminds me of those whiskies which has been finished in a sherry casks. In the end, there is a immersive amount of spices and vengeful character. This one has a soul, that scratches if you don’t look out!
9: Ok, now it is a visit to a grease-factory. This one is soft, but very greasy and butter tastes strong here. Like a butter-popcorn eaten with salt peanuts! After a while, once the butter squirms away, the long finish unmasks itself: spices and oak, vanilla and some sweetness. It has a bite, but it is not too stingy. What remains, the scent of the butter.
10: There is, again, some butter and salted peanuts. But much less, than with 9. The oak and the spice dare to come out much earlier than before, and they do control the experience from that on. I enjoy the long finish that has some bite and demeanor, but it lack the pure power of the beginning.
After tasting these a few times (emptying the glasses) there are also a few notes to add:
6: After the other ones, this one feels very oily and oaky. There is lots of spice with pure oakvanilla. Perhaps the most “pure” of these all.
8: Due to batches 9 and 10, this one is less wide and broad as those two. The finish fades away much faster than I remembered.
9: A very soft start.. But then there is the BUTTER! This one makes me two-faced. In a way I like this twisted taste and on the other hand.. there is the too much butter.
10: Later sips provide a nice experience with more pure spice, oak, oakbark and vanilla. The final taste in the mouth seems to be the oakspice. This is actually a very good, in case you are searching for a wooden dram that has other characteristics also! The finish is long and it will stay in your mouth for a while.